Republicans Change Confirmation Rules To Overcome Democrat Boycott

In an unexpected move on Tuesday, Senate Democrats announced they would boycott the votes of Steven Mnuchin and Tim Price, effectively blocking the confirmation process which requires the presence of at least one Democrat. However, on Wednesday, Senate Republicans found a loophole to push through Trump’s two Cabinet nominees Wednesday, by upending standard committee rules to circumvent a Democratic boycott.

As Bloomberg reports, the Senate Finance Committee - with only Republican members present - advanced Steven Mnuchin to head the Treasury Department, and Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) as secretary of Health and Human Services. They did so when the Republicans gathered in the hearing room and unanimously agreed to change the committee’s standing rules, which normally require at least one member of each party to be in attendance for committee work to proceed.

“It’s just another way of roughing up the president’s nominees,” said committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). “They have been treated fairly. We have not been treated fairly.”

Republicans made the unusual move after Democrats refused to attend a vote on the nominees for two days running, arguing the pair had made misleading statements to lawmakers that needed to be rectified. The nominees now head to the Senate floor, as partisan tensions over filling out Trump’s White House continued to intensify.

The reason for the Democrat boycott is that allegedly questions continue to swirl for weeks around Price’s investment activity, including whether his political actions benefitted his personal portfolio. “Both nominees have yet to answer important questions that impact the American people,” committee Democrats wrote in a letter sent to Hatch Wednesday.

“Further, we have significant concern that both Mr. Mnuchin and Mr. Price gave inaccurate and misleading testimony and responses to questions to the Committee. These cabinet nominees should answer basic questions that the American people deserve answers to before moving forward.”

Hatch was dismissive of that argument Wednesday. “Oh, come on. Come on,” he said. “They don’t have one argument that’s worthwhile. Not one. And if they had, they should have shown up."

Ultimately, The Senate Finance Committee moved to report both of President Donald Trump’s nominees to the Senate floor on 14-0 votes, with only Republicans participating, after voting to suspend the panel’s rules. “I don’t care what they do, but the parliamentarian said this is a proper decision.” Hatch told reporters after the votes.

The latest Democratic blockade was the latest example of the party’s efforts to slow the consideration of Trump’s nominees to a crawl, as the party and its base hardens in opposition to the new president; however, for now it appears to have its work cut out. That said, with animosity between the two parties already at nosebleed levels, it is unlikely that any laws demanding a bipartisan effort - such as the replacement of Obamacare - will be implemented.

My understanding is that the “nuclear option” refers to a rule change to override a filibuster on the floor and confirm with a simple majority, but the Democrats set the stage for rule changes and finally forced the Republicans to grow a pair.

At this point, the Democrats might as well watch the confirmations from the Capitol Lounge with a double.

You're either against the democrats being sworn enemies of the White race or for it. There is no "middle" ground. There's only White men proud of their heritage on one side and non-Whites/White cucks on the other.

BoP I agree, that is a thing of the past. That's why I voted for trump. I'm sick and tired of compromising with these people. Every single 'compromise' results in us losing more of our rights. They won't be happy until the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 10th are dead letters. Once you accept that this is their goal, further compromise becomes useless. There is no 'reasonable' concession or compromise that will make them act like normal, civilized people again, so there is no point in even trying to. Fuck them. I hope this keeps getting worse, since they will keep getting nuttier.

Though I agree with many of your points, the Red Team has been just as eager to kill the 1st, 4th, and 10th, and only somewhat defend the 2nd due to constituent pressure. The Red Team is only *slightly* better than the Blue Team when it comes to respecting the Bill of Rights.

How can a committee rule that no business occur absent a quorum and at least one Democrat in attendance be changed absent a Dem in the room? This decision, made by the Senate parliamentarian deserves explanation. I cannot imagine the Dems thought this was possible. I understand that this action is widely favored here, but it seems a bit hinky to me - an unelected parliamentarian just made a momentous decision.

Maybe, but doesn't the nominee deserve an up/down vote? If he or she doesn't approve of the nominee, then he or she can vote against the nominee. I will also add that I find commitees being able to block action on nominees or legislation to be complete horseshit and I think voice votes should be banned. We pay those criminals to vote, not perform theatrical shenanigans to try to get 15 minutes on the idiot box.

It's a really tough call, the Blue Team is throwing a temper tantrum, and the Red Team is laying the groundwork for even more Senate fuckery. Either way, the people lose.

Fair enough, but Trump has finally taught the GOP that this is not a children's game and they owe it to their voters to WIN. When the Dems are in power they use every dirty trick imaginable to override decorum and tradition and get their way (Exhibit A: Obamacare). It's past time the GOP gave them a taste of their own medicine, and under Trump it looks like they're learning to do just that.

Not only that, but it's smart politics. People want a government that delivers the goods and gets things done, not one that continually moans about how bureaucratic hurdles are tying their hands. This new, active President and Congress are pushing their agenda HARD, and even Trump's enemies are taking notice of how high energy he is. Compare that to Obama's repeated promise to close Gitmo.

Bottom line: if Trump and the GOP keep going like this, then the Dems are gonna get SPANKED in 2018

The Democrats did very little when the Epipen scandal came up that prices had soared 500 hundred percent on a patent the US actually developed for soldiers to counter nerve gas, and Mylan's Medicaid fraud and collusion with state education boards. Had Trump been in office he would have chased Mylan's CEO around the invegation floor with a pen which he would have said he would jab her with if the prices didn't get cut in half. Blumenthal of CT finally was the first Democrat who demanded action. So the Dems hold up Steve Price's nomination because of a purchuse of an Australian biotech. Must be Pelosi wanted to buy a couple hundred thousand shares before it's price skyrocketed.

I agree. Using criminal charges against one's political opponents is one of the sure signs of imminent Imperial collapse, and the sooner this Empire crashes, the better, and the sooner we can rebuild a decent society.

As a follow up the house needs to cut off funding to New York and California until they vote Schumer, Belosio, Fienstein and Pelosi out of office. You cannot have a viable democracy with such behavior!

What happens when we get a democratic in the White house, the republicans one up this and we have chaos? FU to this group, they are servants of the people!

I take offence to cutting off funding to californians. I am a san diegan. I been telling these dumbfucks for 20 + years the reality of the tantrum. It makes things worse and is unpleasant to watch. If anything I would appreciate some kind of thanks from my fellow americans that dont live in the dem belly of the beast as I have been taking one for the team for a long time.Im not entitles to anything, thanks would be nice. Ahh to dream.